An Aestivalis for a Saotome
by NighthawkTM
Summary: From the manga and anime we know that Genma has sold Ranma before. There are plenty of people who feel that the good old Panda has sold Ranma more than we've seen. Well due to one of Genma's sales Ranma now has the ability to be a pilot. And now a comp
1. Chapter 1 (complete)

"So in exchange for the boy I'll get all that?" Genma   
starred at the table laden with food in front of him. The table was   
perhaps seven feet long, and was piled with food from around the   
world. Genma's stomach growled as he watched it.   
  
Ranma, however, really wasn't paying much attention. He was looking   
over the strange tattoo on his right hand. The pattern was rather   
interesting to the ten-year-old boy. He still didn't understand why   
his father made him get it last year. He had said it was going to   
get them more food, but Ranma still only got rice. He wondered what   
Ucchan would think if he saw it. He'd probably laugh or something.  
  
"Boy!" Genma had come to a decision..  
  
"Yes papa?" Ranma looked up at his father with complete trust. Of   
course, Ranma didn't know what the next training Genma was planning   
to put him through. But then, he didn't know he was just sold off   
again for food, either.  
  
Genma wasn't really planning on letting the military types keep   
Ranma. After all, the boy was his ticket to both food and   
retirement. All he had to do was steal the boy back tonight. 'Boy,   
you're going to go with these men. They're going to be training   
you. You WILL learn from them, understand?!" The men HAD said   
something about teaching Ranma. He didn't know what they were going   
to teach him, but they said something about fighting. The boy could   
stand to learn from them for one day.  
  
When Genma looked up, he suddenly realized that he was alone in the   
room. Apparently they had already taken the boy. With a shrug he   
sat down and began to eat.  
  
1 Years Later  
  
Ranma stared at the howling pit in front of him. He almost   
seemed to shiver in fear. The training he had received in the   
Military had been a lot better. And flying those planes had been   
fun. This was going to be the third time that his father had thrown   
him in the pit. As soon as his father came back to push him in   
anyway.  
  
No, he didn't want to go back in. He didn't even want to   
consider the fat man to be his father. Ranma had grown up a lot   
while training at the UEAF East-Asian Academy. He was the youngest   
to ever enter it, but had almost immediately proved himself when   
some of the older students decided to pick a fight with him. After   
that he'd made a number of friends who helped him grow up.  
  
Then in the middle of the night a week ago he had found   
himself tied up and thrown over the shoulder of a stranger. Ranma   
had struggled until the stranger called him 'Boy.' He still   
recognized the tone of his father's voice.  
  
But now...now he wished Genma had never come for him. He   
enjoyed the Academy. He didn't enjoy this...torture. Ranma could   
admit it, finally. What his 'father' was putting him through was   
torture. And Ranma wasn't going to let it go on.  
  
With Genma still off looking for more fish products, Ranma   
pushed himself over to where his pack was. Rifling through it when   
it was behind him was hard, but his hands knew what they were   
looking for, and pulled out a small black cloth case. Then, as   
carefully as he could, he slide the knife out of the case and sawed   
through the ropes that tied his hands and then legs together.  
  
Now free, Ranma packed his bag up again, and added all of   
the food he could find in his 'father's' and quickly and quietly   
left the camp.  
  
2 Years Later  
  
"Ranma Saotome?"  
  
Ranma stopped in the middle of his kata and opened his eyes.   
Calmly he turned and looked over his shoulder at the two men.   
"Yeah, that's me. What'd ya want me for?"  
  
Ranma was careful around strangers. For the past two years   
he had been traveling, searching for home where he'd hoped he'd find   
his mother. He never did, however, and was currently living in a   
tent in a park in some city whose name he never bothered to get. He   
had, however, come across more than one of Genma's non-fiancée   
problems. Genma had a large number of debts to pay off, and a lot   
of people were more than happy to try to take it from his son.  
  
"Saotome-san, I am Prospector from Nergal Industries. I am   
here to offer you a job."  
  
Ranma had to blink at that. Someone was being polite to   
him, offering him respect, and offering him a JOB? This was far too   
strange for him. His mouth, however, decided to work with his   
brain. "A...job?"  
  
Prospector smiled. He wasn't a tall man, nor was he well   
built. He was a personnel officer, though. His job was to make   
people comfortable, and to make them work for his company. He   
pushed his red framed glasses up a bit. "Yes, a job. With the war   
going so badly right now Nergl has built a battle cruiser to help   
out in the fight. As this is a private vassal we wish to man it   
with the best private citizens we can. Your records from the year   
that you spent at the East Asian Academy are beyond superb for a   
pilot. We wish to offer you a position. You will of course be   
paid."  
  
Ranma blinked and looked down at his right hand. The mark   
had been important at the Academy, but afterwards he had mostly   
forgotten it. Here on Earth only pilots needed it. And...that was   
what he was being offered. A chance to pilot. And a chance to   
protect people as a Martial Artist should.  
  
Ranma looked at Prospector for a moment more and then   
shrugged. "Sure, why not."  
  
  
An Aestivalis for a Saotome  
A Ranma ½ & Martin Successor Nadesico X-over  
By Tomas Megarson  
Email me NighthawkTM@yahoo.com  
Visit me http://www.geocities.com/nighthawktm/index.htm  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own either Ranma or Nadesico. I do this for   
fun and without profit. That doesn't mean I'll refuse money if you   
want to send me any. ^_^  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Ranma stared at the ship in front of him. It was big. It   
was really big. Perhaps it was even bigger than that. And it was...  
white. Lots of white. He had to admit though; here in the   
underground cavern with the lights reflecting off of its hull, it   
definitely looked cool. "So...what's her name?" Something Ranma   
recalled from his days at the Academy was that all ships were   
female. Why that was he'd never found out, but that's what the   
other recruits had told him.  
  
"Her name is Nadesico. She's going to be the first civilian   
battleship to enter the war against the Jovian Lizards."  
  
Ranma smiled slightly. For some reason the name struck   
something in him. It was almost like when he had perfected a new   
kata. It felt so right. As the two started for the open ramp to   
board the ship. "So, what are we flying and which one's my bird?"   
He was already beginning to revert to the language used while in   
flight school. He was a Saotome and that meant he was supposed to   
fly.  
  
Prospector sweat dropped ever so slightly. It seemed that   
he had forgotten to mention something. "Hmm…well you might not be   
flying. You see," the two entered the hanger where a pair of giant   
robots stood, "the Nadesico is armed with the latest of the   
Aestivalis. That is what you will be flying."  
  
Ranma's eyes took in the pair of giant robots before him.   
Aestivalises. That's what he was supposed to pilot? He was being   
given the chance that everyone in the academy had talked about. And   
he was being ASKED to pilot one of them. Slowly he walked over to a   
giant blue one and put his hand on it. From the design he could   
tell that it was a flight model. "This one is mine Prospector, and   
nobody else's."  
  
Prospector smiled a bit. It seemed they had just secured a   
pilot who had all the makings of a top ace. He just hoped that   
Ranma would live long enough to reach that status. "Hmm…that   
reminds me Ranma, how old are you? The records at the," his phone   
began to ring "academy, hold on just a moment." Prospector   
listened for a few moments while Ranma continued to inspect the   
Aestivalis before him. "Hmm…alright, I'll be right there." Closing   
the phone, Prospector walked over and placed a hand on Ranma's   
shoulder. "Ranma, I've got to go see to something. Pilots aren't   
supposed to report until tomorrow and the mechanics said that this   
Aestivalis would need another two days to bring it to combat   
readiness. Why don't you go take a tour of the ship instead?"  
  
Ranma looked slightly disappointed but nodded. "Why not?   
If this is gonna be my home, I guess I should look 'round some,   
huh?" Ranma gave Prospector a crisp salute and then headed into the   
ship.  
  
An hour later…  
  
Ranma stepped through the door and looked around. From his   
vantage point, Ranma's eyes tracked the bridge crew. The first   
thing he wondered about was why the entire crew was female. That   
was shrugged off as this being a civilian craft. After all, the   
military probably had all of the good male crews.  
  
Seeing an empty seat toward the front of the bridge, Ranma   
calmly walked over to it and sat down, leaning back. He ignored the   
stares he was getting as he allowed his gaze to wander the inside   
of the underground docking facility that the Nadesico was currently   
in.He could see the work crews moving along the outer hull making   
final inspections before the scheduled lift off in two days.   
Shifting his gaze, he could see a large supply truck approach.  
  
He was still watching the crews unload large crates of   
supplies when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head and   
was forced to lean back some to gaze into the eyes of the huge man in   
front of him. The man had that veteran look that he'd seen in his   
instructors at the Academy, as well as had a stern glare. "Yeah,   
what is it?"  
  
At the sound of his voice the bridge grew quiet, only the   
sounds of the machines running could be heard. Everyone's eyes and   
ears were on the confrontation that had just begun. "This ship is no   
place for children." The monotone voice from the man said. "Leave   
now and you won't be arrested."  
  
`"Arrest me? Yeah, right." Ranma scoffed. "Who do you think   
you are saying you can arrest me?"  
  
"I am the commander of this vessel, that's who I am." The   
huge man growled.  
  
The words had an effect on Ranma. He spun out of the chair,   
coming to his feet on across from the man and snapped to perfect   
military attention. "Saotome Ranma, Aestivalis pilot, sir. Forgive   
my ignorance sir, I was not briefed on who the Nadesico's commander   
was." From the right hand that offered salute to his superior   
officer, everyone on the bridge could see the nano-bot marking in his   
skin proving he was exactly what he said.  
  
Respect for one's commander had been drilled into Ranma at   
the Academy. While he was normally arrogant and showed little   
respect to others, when faced with a superior officer his Academy   
drilled mindset came to the front. It was a side of Ranma that his   
father had never seen, nor had anyone else since he'd left the   
academy.  
  
As for Ranma's announcement, it had taken most of the people   
on the bridge aback. Being a pilot wasn't something that just   
happened every day to young teens. Even as people grew older only a   
select few could become pilots simply due to the stress that it   
placed on the body. To find a kid who was probably barely in his   
teens a pilot meant there had to be something special about him.  
  
Of course, that didn't faze Goat Hory a bit. "A child like   
you couldn't be suited for being a pilot. Now get off this bridge or   
I'll have you arrested." Goat's square jaw face remained passive and   
his tone was almost Stoic as he spoke. His eyes, however, showed the   
irritation he was feeling for the boy in front of him.  
  
Ranma could feel his jaw muscles ripple as he bit back the   
reply he wanted so desperately to say. He was taught better than to   
talk back to his commanding officer, however. With a sharp "Yes sir."  
Ranma dropped his salute and began to make his way toward the exit.   
  
However, as he walked, a voice reached his ear. "Baka."   
Ranma's head turned to glare at the girl seated behind one of the   
stations. He took in her white hair and pale skin. He was surprised   
that she looked about his age, and yet she hadn't gotten any grief   
about it. He wanted desperately to reply to her insult, but something   
told him that now wasn't the right time. So he settled for a glare   
and continued towards the door.  
  
He was perhaps a dozen feet from it when it opened and a figure   
walked in. Ranma recognized the uniform and immediately snapped to   
attention. After all, the captain just came on deck. This was also   
the moment he began to worry about his life. The captain was nothing   
like he expected her to be.  
  
"Wow, this must be it!" Ranma focuses on the woman in the   
Captain's uniform. Her long hair was interesting shade of blue, and   
her green eyes spoke of a general joy to the world. Already Ranma   
was gritting his teeth. "Hello everyone! I'm your new Captain!   
V!" And her fingers gave the crew a victory sign.  
  
Everyone, Ranma included, mimicked her in disbelieving voices.   
"V!?" The young girl, who insulted Ranma before, had something to   
add, however. "Another idiot?" At those words Ranma's open mouth   
closed and his face again took on an angry cast. As the Captain   
walked past him to speak to the man in charge, Ranma dropped his   
salute and left the bridge. As he walked down the halls towards the   
hangar he tossed around her name in his mind. Misumaru Yurika. Now   
where had he heard that family name before?  
  
***  
  
Ranma rolled his eyes as some idiot of a pilot put one of the   
Aestivalis through some very poor martial arts moves. It made him   
wonder about who had decided to hire the guy. All the while the guy   
was talking like he was in some anime. It was a bit of a surprise   
that he found himself mimicking the girl from earlier. "Baka."  
  
His eyes then turned to gaze at the young man standing a few   
yards from him, gazing at the Aestivalis. His gaze went over the   
cook's uniform and a smile came to his lips. If he could become   
friends with one of the cooks then he might be able to get extra   
helpings. More food was always a good thing. Walking over to the   
young man, Ranma tossed him an idle salute which was sloppily   
returned. "Hey, I'm Ranma. Who're you?"  
  
"Umm, I'm Tenkawa Akito." Akito's eyes drifted over Ranma's   
young form. "What do you do here?"  
  
"Me?" Ranma smiled. "I'm the best pilot on this ship. How   
about you?"  
  
"You're a…pilot?" Tenkawa blinked at Ranma's nod. It was just   
too strange to think about. What type of people would have a kid   
pilot a war machine? No one on Mars would have sent children into   
war.  
  
"So, what do you do on the ship Akito?"  
  
Akito shook himself out of his thoughts and opened his mouth to   
reply when a the voice from the Aestivalis finally broke into there   
conversation.  
  
"GAI SUPER UPPER!"  
  
Ranma rolled his eyes as the Aestivalis attempted a fancy   
looking upper cut, and then fell down on its back. "Baka." A vision   
of the girl once more entered his minds eye. He gave a small sigh   
wondering how that one damn phrase was sticking to him.  
  
"Gekigangar, huh?" Akito was giving a small disbelieving   
smile.  
  
Ranma turned to face him. "Huh?"  
  
"Gekigangar, it's a really old anime. We had it on Mars. I   
guess the pilot down there is a fan too."  
  
"AAAUUUUGGHHH!!"  
  
Both turned to the scream of pain below. The pilot of the   
Aestivalis was being laid out on a stretcher, his face distorted in   
pain. It was obvious that he had injured himself attempting the   
upper cut. "Hey, you two boys up there! Something special to me is   
in the cockpit. Would you get it for me?  
  
Ranma and Akito turned to each other and shrugged. Akito   
called back "Sure, no problem."  
  
As the pilot was carried off to medical, Ranma and Akito walked   
over to the Aestivalis. As they walked down, they continued their   
conversation, Ranma finally getting Akito to tell him that he was an   
assistant cook.  
  
They had just made it to the Aestivalis when the Nadesico began   
to shake and alarms began to go off.  
  
***  
  
On the bridge a map of the current battlefield had been brought   
up on the floor monitor. On the map there were three circles of red   
near the harbor to the south indicating where the Jovians were   
concentrating their attacks. Goat was briefing the bridge crew on the   
situation. "The enemy is concentrating their attack directly over   
our position. As can be seen the UEAF has responded but are loosing   
the battle."  
  
Among the crew now stood two admirals. The elder of the two,   
Admiral Fukube, pressed a button change the map to one of the   
Nadesico's underground dock. "Is the Nadesico their target?"  
  
"If that's the case," said the younger, Admiral Munetake   
Sadaaki, "We'll hit them back!" He sounded slightly hysterical about   
the current situation. It was clear that he didn't like being in a   
ship that wasn't flying.  
  
"How?" Goat inquired. It was already clear that the man wasn't   
one to waste words in a situation like the one they found themselves   
in.  
  
"We'll use the Nadesico's anti-aircraft fire to burn them to a   
crisp." Sadaaki was clearly proud with his plan.  
  
The members of the crew, however, didn't find it all that   
thrilling. It was the helmswoman, Minato Haruka, who spoke first.   
"Do you propose to destroy our own men fighting above our heads too?"   
Her voice was steady and her brown eyes calm.  
  
Admiral Sadaaki's voice was shaky as he replied. "They're going   
to be annihilated one way or another.  
  
Reinard Megumi, ex-voice actress and current communication's   
officer, looked up at the taller Haruka. Her purple hair wasn't as   
long as Haruka's brown hair, and was tied in a ponytail as opposed to   
the loose, wavy hair of the helmswoman. "Wouldn't you call that   
being cold-blooded?"  
  
As Admiral Munetake freaked out over that comment, older Fukube   
looked across the map to Yurika. His white bearded face was grave as   
he spoke. "Captain, do you have any suggestions?"  
  
Yurika's soft features were firm, and her voice was clear and   
sharp as she gave the crew her orders. "We will launch through the   
underwater dock into the ocean. Once there we'll emerge behind the   
enemy and neutralize them!"  
  
Off to the side, the pilot that Ranma and Akito had met earlier,   
with his leg now in a cast and being supported by two of the   
engineers, was grinning as he finally contributed to the planning.   
"Here's where I come in! I'll deploy the robot against the enemy and   
lure them inland. In the meantime, the Nadesico can launch." The   
pilot, who called himself Daigouji Gai, broke free of one of the   
engineers and raised a clenched fist into the air. "Oh, I'd kill for   
a situation like this!"  
  
The man he let go, chief engineer Uribatake Seiya, decided to   
break Gai's excitement. In a monotone voice, "You've got a broken   
leg, remember?"  
  
"Oh damn!" Gai's face turned from one of excitement to one of   
disappointment.  
  
From her station, Hoshino Ruri, the girl who had called Ranma   
an idiot, spoke up. "A decoy has already reached the launching   
elevator. There is a communications request coming from the   
Aestivalis."  
  
Above everyone's head on a floating view screen, Ranma's face   
appeared. Around him the crew could see the cockpit of the   
Aestivalis. "Captain, I'm ready to launch. What are my orders?"  
  
It was Gai who spoke first though. "Hey! That's my robot!   
Get out of it!"  
  
"Your robot?" Ranma snorted. "You injured yourself playing   
around. I'll show you how a real pilot controls an Aestivalis."  
  
As Gai was spluttering to Ranma's response Goat growled at the   
screen. "Kid I told you to get off this ship! Now you're   
endangering our craft! Get out now and wait to be arrested!"  
  
Just then Prospector walked onto the bridge. He looked at the   
screen and smiled. "Ah, I see pilot Saotome is ready for combat.   
It'll be good to see his skill."  
  
Yurika turned to the man. "You mean this boy really is a   
pilot?"  
  
"Hey I'm a man!" Ranma's angry face cried out.  
  
Prospector smiled and nodded. "Actually Captain, he's your   
lead pilot. His Academy scores were some of the highest ever. The   
only reason he's not flying for the UEAF is his age. He is 13,   
however, and that places him as only a single year before being   
considered an adult by the current Military Regulations."  
  
"I see." Yurika face was grave as she turned to the screen.   
What she saw caused her to look on in wonder. Ranma and Ruri were   
busy trading insults. Though it was more of a 'are to, are not'   
argument then anything else. Of course Ruri was calling Ranma 'Baka'   
while Ranma replied with 'Uncute Tomboy.' Just when Ranma was   
reaching up to give Ruri the 'Red-eye' Yurika broke out of her trance   
and interrupted. "Pilot Saotome, you're to lead the Jovian forces   
inland in a decoy action. The Nadesico will then surface and   
eliminate them. You need to keep them occupied for 10 minutes."  
  
At the Captain's voice, Ranma quit his name war with Ruri. It   
hurt him slightly that she got the last name in, but he'd find   
someway to get back at her. He just wasn't sure how yet. But a   
Saotome never looses, so Ranma wasn't too worried. "Affirmative.   
Ranma out." The communications screen closed down and the elevator   
began its accent.  
  
***  
  
"A decoy huh?" Ranma spoke to himself out loud. "They want me   
to run away? I'm not going to run away. I'm a martial artist and a   
pilot; I'm going to defend my ship." As the elevator continued to   
climb Ranma brought up two screens. One was a listing of his onboard   
weapons. A knife and his fists. That was all he had. Not exactly   
what he wanted to get into a fight with, but it would have to do.  
  
The other was a radar image of a 5 mile radius, with the IFF   
signals coming from the various craft above him. He gulped slightly   
and the mass of red dots the cluttered the screen. There had to be   
almost a hundred Jovians attacking the Nadesico's dock. "Umm...heh,   
nothing I can't handle. I'm the best after all."   
  
A screen popped up to his right with Megumi's face on it. "15   
seconds until you reach the surface. Remember that you must hold   
them for 10 minutes." Then the screen vanished.  
  
Ranma's right hand reached out and grabbed the spherical control   
grip. On the back of his hand the nano-bot marking began to glow,   
and the Aestivalis came to life. "This is it, here I go. My first   
real combat; don't choke."  
  
And then he was there. The elevator came to a stop on the   
surface, and Ranma found himself facing a small army of Jovians. He   
didn't hesitate at all, one of the arms of his Aestivalis came up and   
the fist rocketed off, slamming into and through a Jovian. The cable   
that kept the fist connected to the Aestivalis went tight and suddenly   
wound up, pulling the Jovian into Ranma's waiting arms. Spinning   
quickly he launched the Jovian he held into a second that had been   
behind him. The two went up in a ball of fire even as Ranma jumped   
into the air. A smirk came to his lips as he watched the Jovians   
shoot each other in their attempt to kill him.  
  
Flying over the insect like yellow aliens, Ranma spun and   
launched both his fists, destroying another two of the creatures.   
Ranma came down on the edge of the creatures in a flying kick, his   
foot going through a third even as his Aestivalis's fists locked back   
into place.  
  
Hopping off of the dead Jovian, Ranma spun and engaged the   
wheels on the feet of his Aestivalis, and took off down the road,   
leading the enemy inland.  
  
***  
  
"Flooding 80% complete," Megumi's voice informed Yurika.   
"Opening the underwater gate." Her hands darted over the controls   
switching from section to section and receiving the green light signal   
from all decks. Every third channel she checked was Ranma's combat   
channel.  
  
Down the bridge control from Megumi, Haruka looked up and over   
her shoulder to her Captain. "Engines are ready."  
  
Yurika's face was calm. "Nadesico, launch!"  
  
Placing her pale hands on her control panel, Ruri's nano-bot   
markings began to glow. "Nadesico, launching." Everyone felt the   
ship shudder slightly as the engines fired and the ship began to   
move.  
  
***  
  
Glance down at the timer by his right hand Ranma frowned.   
"Another 6 minutes huh? That's still a long time." With a glance to   
the map he had brought up, Ranma decided that he was far enough in   
land. It was time to do the Jovians some more damage.  
  
Spinning, he engaged the boosters of his craft and launched into   
the air. Repeating his opening attack but with two fists this time,   
Ranma took out another 6 of the Jovian craft. As more of the craft   
took to the air in pursuit of him, a set of panels along his   
Aestivalis's leg opened, and he drew his combat knife.  
  
One of the Jovians attempted to ram him while he was still   
climbing on his jump. However, even in a giant robot, midair combat   
was still the Saotome Specialty. Ranma seemed to drop just before he   
was hit, and the knife came up, cutting open the underside of the   
craft, causing a series of explosions.  
  
Ranma's fall continued and he landed on another Jovian,   
destroying this one as well. Warning alarms went off as Ranma's radar   
picked up incoming missiles. Bringing up a view of his rear, Ranma   
began to run backwards, evading the missiles. He sweated slightly as   
a number of the missiles came close to impacting with him. With a   
jump, a flip, and a twist, Ranma avoided the last of them, his   
Aestivalis facing the direction he had been running. Taking off   
again, Ranma glanced over to his display clock. He needed to buy the   
Nadesico another two minutes.  
  
Checking his radar, he saw that he was still vastly out   
numbered. He was so intently studying it that he barely looked up in   
time to see the building in front of him. His reflexes kicked in and   
he fired the jumping boosters. "Oh, damn." He swore as he looked   
over his shoulder and saw a pair of Jovians crash into the building.   
"I hope no one was living there."  
  
He turned to face forward again only to see that he was out   
over the bay. "Shit, I was supposed to keep them away from here."   
Turning in mid-air, Ranma launched his fists once more, taking out   
another two Jovians. Suddenly his radar lit up with a friendly IFF   
code directly below him. Ranma couldn't help but smile as he landed   
directly on top of the Nadesico.  
  
A view screen popped up with Yurika's face on it. "Sorry to   
keep you waiting."  
  
Ranma glanced at his clock. "What do you mean waiting? You're   
here early. I've still got another two and a half minutes to kill   
these things."  
  
"We rushed the launch for you."  
  
***  
  
On the bridge of the Nadesico, a screen was up with a radar   
pattern displaying the battlefield. From her seat on the bridge,   
"The enemy forces are almost within our range of effective fire,   
Captain." Ruri spoke.  
  
"Target all the enemy with in range," came Yurika's reply. The   
large main canon of the Nadesico began to glow with energy as it   
charged up. "Fire!" What seemed to be a beam of shadow launched   
outward from the Nadesico. Everything that it hit instantly   
exploded.  
  
Outside the Nadesico, Ranma could only stare in awe at the   
damage the blast had done.  
  
***  
  
Ranma yawned as he opened the cockpit of the Aestivalis.   
Piloting in combat had been a lot harder than he had thought it would   
be. It had also been so much more a rush. It was even better than   
the fights he got in while living on the street. He could still feel   
his blood pumping through his veins as his body let go of all the   
stress it had built up.  
  
Not even waiting for the engineering crews to get a ladder to   
him, Ranma hopped out of the cockpit and dropped the 15 feet to the   
deck. He ignored the looks of surprise as he stretched. The only   
problem he had with piloting was that he didn't get to use his own   
body in the fight. He'd have to go to the gym later and get in a   
solid work out. For now though, he needed a meal.  
  
He was almost at the door when it opened, allowing Goat into   
the hanger. Ranma stopped and came to attention. He was surprised   
when Hory returned the salute. "You're a good pilot Saotome. Keep   
it up." With that Goat turned and left.  
  
Ranma stared at the older man's back, a small smile beginning   
to form on his lips. It seemed he'd earned at least one person's   
respect.  
  
  
Author's Notes:   
  
Well, its done, the first chapter of the fic. This chapter and the   
next are going to be the two that most closely follow the series,   
simply because I don't see certain things changing with Ranma there   
(such as the planning of the battle in this chapter). Chapter Three   
is when things will really start to deviate though.  
  
As for this Ranma, yes he's more mature than normal canon. Part of   
that was his training at the military, and the other part was from   
living on his own for 2 years even though he was so young.  
  
Next chapter we learn more about the crew of the Nadesico, as well as   
have a few family squabbles.  
  



	2. Chapter 2 (incomplete)

24 Hours ago:  
  
Ranma stepped into the cafeteria and looked around. It was   
a large, bright room with a number of tables and vending machines.   
The colors were bright and cheerful, lending a lot happier mood   
than a battleship should allow. Ranma didn't really mind though,   
it was nice seeing that so many could let go of the feelings of   
war.  
  
He wandered over to the Vending machine hoping to find   
something filling. He almost made it when a voice reached him.   
"Hey Ranma! Over here."   
  
Ranma turned to see Akito behind a counter wearing an apron.   
Looking a bit longingly at the vending machines, Ranma turned and   
headed over to Akito. "Hey Akito, what's up?"  
  
"Well, since you did help save us all, and you are looking   
hungry, I figured I'd cook you up something to eat."  
  
Ranma gave Akito a smile. "You're a good friend Akito, you   
know that?"  
  
  
12 Hours ago:  
  
Ranma stretched getting accustomed to the pilot suit he had   
been given. The suit was a dark gray with midnight blue stripes   
running along the legs. It fit him almost like spandex, and was   
very easy to move in. He just had to get used to the feeling   
against his skin. It was strange to be wearing the tight outfit   
after so many years of loose clothing.  
  
Turning, he walked down the corridor a bit more and then   
proceeded through a door. He smiled as he saw the gym was empty.   
He would be able to get some practice in without being bothered.   
Walking to the center of the room, he stretched some and began a   
simple kata. After going through it once, he modified it and began   
again. He repeated this process a third time. And then a fourth.  
  
Finally, after completing a 12th variation of the original   
kata, he stopped and wiped the sweat from his brow. Then the   
clapping started. In surprise he turned to find a good dozen   
members of the crew near the door applauding him.  
  
Unconsciously his hand began to scratch the back of his   
head and he gaze off a slightly nervous laugh. As the people came   
over to ask him about his style, his eye caught what seemed to be a   
small flash of white leaving the room. Deciding that it was just   
some sweat in his eye, he began to answer the questions as best he   
could, suddenly finding himself a growing class of people who wanted   
to be taught by him.  
  
  
6 Hours ago:  
  
Ranma gave a sigh, as he laid awake on his futon. He just   
couldn't seem to get to sleep. For some reason he felt that   
something bad was going to happen. He couldn't figure out for the   
life of him what though. He'd been to the bridge three times   
already but there had never been a single Jovian ship on the radar.   
For 30 miles in every direction things were clear.  
  
With a grunt of annoyance, Ranma slammed his fist into his   
Futon and sat up yet again. Knowing that it wouldn't do any good   
any way, Ranma stood up to once more check in on the bridge. He   
tossed his blanket away and stood up, giving a slight shiver. The   
ship got pretty cold at night for sleeping in boxers and an   
undershirt, but it was how he was comfortable. He had made it three   
steps to his clothes when the floor beneath him gave way.  
  
"DAMN IT!"  
  
Ranma hit the ground bad, for all his training, and fell   
flat on his face. Groans of pain could be heard from him as he lay   
on the floor. And then the metal panels he had fallen through   
finally detached from the ceiling and landed on his back.   
"Ite………"  
  
On the futon in the corner of the room, Megumi sat up,   
startled by the crashing and moans of pain. "Wha…what's happening?"   
Her hand fumbled for the light switch for a moment, before getting   
it.  
  
Standing up she looked at the twitching feet and hands   
under the metal plating. "Oh…my god…" Shaking out of her stupor,   
her hand slapped the communications switch. "Medical! There's an   
emergency!"  
  
  
15 minutes ago:  
  
Ranma stretched as he left Medical, still dressed only in   
his boxers and undershirt. The medical staff had been shocked when   
all they found was a mild concussion and a number of bruises. From   
the scene the nurses who had picked up Ranma described, Ranma should   
have had a number of broken bones to go along with the concussion,   
not bruises.  
  
  
He grumbled a bit over the sedative they had given him to   
get him to hold still though. He had told them that he was fine but   
the doctor hadn't wanted to hear that. When Ranma had punched one   
of the people trying to hold him down though, they had decided that   
it was for the best to put him under.  
  
And so now, hungry, but not really tired, Ranma exited   
Medical. And lonely. For some strange reason, Ranma felt lonely.   
He couldn't figure it out. He'd been on his own for the past 2   
years. He didn't need anyone, did he?  
  
Ranma sighed and shook his head. Perhaps he'd find someone   
to eat with. After all, it was a big ship. There had to be someone   
else who was hungry. Turning a corner, he saw the girl from the   
bridge. Acting on some impulse that he couldn't think of, he jogged   
a few steps and fell in next to her as she stepped through the doors   
to the cafeteria. "Mind if I join you?"  
  
  
An Aestivalis for a Saotome  
A Ranma ½ & Martin Successor Nadesico X-over  
By Tomas Megarson  
Email me NighthawkTM@yahoo.com  
Visit me http://www.geocities.com/nighthawktm/index.htm  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own either Ranma or Nadesico. I do this for   
fun and without profit. That doesn't mean I'll refuse money if you   
want to send me any. ^_^  
  
  
Ranma sat down, smiling at the large plate of food in front   
of him. Akito hadn't been in yet, but the girls who were doing the   
cooking had been more than happy to give him an extra large serving   
of food when he asked. The disappointed looks when he confirmed   
that he was 13 made him feel slightly funny, but other than that he   
hadn't had any problems. He'd even managed to get the girl's name,   
Ruri.  
  
With her sitting across from him, Ranma admitted to himself   
that she wasn't uncute. But her eyes made him feel slightly funny.   
Every once in awhile it almost seemed that energy was passing   
through her eyes. Unable to take in her eyes any longer, he looked   
down at her plate. "Are you sure that's all you want to eat?"  
  
Ruri nodded, and continued to pick at the small plate of   
vegetables in front of her. She wasn't sure what to make of Ranma   
anymore. He obviously wasn't as stupid as she had first thought.   
At least he wasn't in combat. As her eyes saw him devour his meal   
with a total lack of manners she decided that if he was out of an   
Aestivalis, Ranma was an idiot.  
  
***  
  
Life on the Nadesico went on for everyone, from the janitors   
to the Captain. Everything that happened was important to the life   
of at least some members of the crew. So those who saw Yurika,   
Captain of the Nadesico, walking down the corridors with a smile on   
her face felt better. After all if the Captain was happy then there   
weren't any major problems.  
  
Yurika wasn't happy for any reason that had to do with the   
ship. She had been going through the listing of the crew and came   
across a familiar name. Matching the name up with a room, she was   
on her way to visit her old friend.  
  
Finally, stopping at an unmarked door she knocked. "Akito?   
Akito?"  
  
Inside the apartment, Akito stepped out of the shower. "I   
know, I know, damn it," he muttered under his breath. He had to be   
in the Kitchen in 15 minutes and didn't want to be late. He wanted   
to do well on this job. He had lost numerous jobs in the past and   
didn't want to risk loosing this one as well. "Give me a minute!"   
Grabbing his boxers, he began to slide them on when the door slid   
open.  
  
"Its alright Akito! I'm the captain so I have the master   
key! It's me, Yurika!" It was then that she noticed Akito's state   
of undress. She stood in the doorway blushing for a few moments   
before walking in anyway. As she passed Akito and sat down with her   
back facing him, "Well, you are a healthy man after all. I'll let   
it slide this time."  
  
In the process of pulling on his pants, Akito, stopped and   
looked at her back in disbelief. "What's that supposed to mean?   
Yurika, this is all because…"  
  
He never got to finish what he was saying as Yurika turned   
around and interrupted him, a joyful look on her face. "I'm so   
happy! You're still willing to call me Yurika! When we were on   
Mars, you used to follow me calling 'Yurika! Yurika!'"  
  
Akito frowned and gave Yurika a hard stare. "As I recall,   
you used to follow me around calling my name." Finally, Akito sat   
down in front of Yurika, dressed in his cooks uniform.  
  
Yurika looked at Akito blankly for a moment. "Is that so?   
Oh well, no matter. I'm just glad I found you. I tried to find   
you. Father told me the Tenkawa household was wiped out on Mars.   
But you're fine. When did you come to earth?"  
  
Akito's gaze was downcast, and his voice held a touch of   
pain as he spoke. "Just listen to yourself." With that, Akito got   
up and left his room, heading towards the cafeteria.  
  
***  
  
Ranma leaned back and sighed. "So…umm…Ruri, what do you   
do?" That seemed like a safe question to ask. So far the meal had   
been very peaceful and nice. Ranma was almost sure Ruri was   
becoming his friend. That would mean that he'd made two friends   
since joining the crew of the Nadesico.  
  
"I am the computer and science officer for the Nadesico."  
  
"Oh wow. So umm…what does that mean?" Ranma may have been   
to the UEAF's Military Academy, but that didn't mean he knew   
everything that was needed to run a ship.  
  
Ruri didn't have a chance to answer as Akito entered the   
cafeteria with Yurika following and calling out his name. "Baka."  
  
Ranma blinked. "Say, you call everyone that, don't you?   
Why?"  
  
Ruri faced Ranma again. "Because they are idiots. I must   
leave now for my shift on the bridge." With that she got up and   
left.   
  
Ranma's eyes followed Ruri leaving. He couldn't understand   
why her slow walk held his attention as it did. He found himself   
counting her steps until she left the room and the door closed. He   
blinked realizing what it was that held his attention. "That was in   
military time." He muttered to himself. For some reason he just   
didn't feel all that hungry anymore.  
  
Looking down at his plate, he realized that he wasn't hungry   
because he'd finished his meal. 'Oh…heh, good reason to be hungry,'   
he thought. Just then a view screen popped up in front of him.   
  
"Pilot Saotome," Megumi's spoke, "Your presence has been   
requested on the bridge." Then the view screen closed.  
  
Ranma glanced back at Akito who was busy introducing himself   
to the rest of the Assistant Cooks, and stood up, heading for the   
bridge.  
  
***  
  



End file.
